Mohamed Abdelbary and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank’s Vision for the Future

Mohamed Abdelbary was already familiar with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank’s finances when he took charge of the institution. Having joined as group chief financial officer in May 2020, he became acting chief executive in March 2024 before the board confirmed his appointment as group CEO on October 30 that year. His promotion moved him from overseeing the numbers to taking responsibility for the wider business.

The transition came with an established institution to manage and a long-term strategy to implement. Today, his agenda includes expanding the bank’s core businesses, investing in artificial intelligence and securing additional equity to support growth. Managing that expansion requires attention to costs, capital strength and the service customers receive.

A Career Built Across International Banks

Abdelbary’s background includes senior roles at Citibank, Barclays and Standard Chartered. Before moving to ADIB, he was Standard Chartered’s regional CFO for Africa and the Middle East.

That experience matters to the demands of his current role. Managing a bank’s finances involves assessing how growth affects funding, expenses and capital. As CEO, those considerations sit alongside decisions about employees, technology and the markets the institution chooses to serve.

His move into the top job was also an internal succession. ADIB’s board selected an executive who had spent several years working on its financial strategy, rather than bringing in a leader from outside.

The CEO role broadened his responsibilities beyond financial oversight to the bank’s overall direction. Decisions about technology, staffing and customer service now sit alongside capital planning, requiring him to weigh immediate operating needs against the institution’s longer-term priorities.

First-Half Growth and Financial Performance

ADIB’s first-half 2026 results show the scale of the business Abdelbary now leads. Total assets reached approximately $82.78 billion (AED 304 billion) at the end of June, up 17% from a year earlier. Pretax profit increased 9% to approximately $1.17 billion (AED 4.3 billion).

Revenue increased 9%, while operating expenses rose 12%. The bank’s cost-to-income ratio stood at 29.0%, compared with 28.2% a year earlier, and its reported net profit margin was 3.78%, compared with 4.27%.

Credit quality improved, with the non-performing asset ratio falling to 2.2% from 3.5%. The common equity Tier 1 capital ratio stood at 12.2%, compared with 12.7% a year earlier. ADIB said its capital ratios remained above regulatory requirements.

The results provide a view of the bank’s expanding business and the operating conditions Abdelbary oversees, including costs, asset quality, and capital planning.

Additional Capital for the Next Stage

Capital planning became more visible on October 6, 2026, when ADIB shareholders approved a rights issue expected to raise approximately $476.51 million (AED 1.75 billion) in gross proceeds.

The bank said the additional equity would support growth under its Vision 2035 strategy. Abdelbary identified expansion in core businesses, closer customer relationships and faster development of digital and AI capabilities among the opportunities ahead.

Shareholder approval represents one stage in the capital-raising process; the funds would be raised through subsequent steps. In its announcement, ADIB said the subscription timetable and final terms would be set out in a prospectus, subject to necessary regulatory and supervisory approvals.

Additional equity would give ADIB more capacity to expand. Decisions about allocating that capital would form part of Abdelbary’s responsibilities, alongside managing costs and maintaining asset quality.

Moving AI Into the Management Agenda

Technology is another area where Abdelbary’s plans are becoming more concrete. On August 21, 2026, ADIB appointed Pedro Uria-Recio as chief AI officer, with responsibility for advancing AI deployment across customer service, risk management and operations.

The bank reported at the time that more than 94% of transactions were conducted through digital channels. That provides context for the appointment: AI is being introduced into a business where much customer activity already takes place electronically.

Abdelbary’s public explanation of the strategy emphasizes practical uses. In the appointment announcement, he described objectives including better tools for employees, stronger decision-making and improvements in how the bank operates.

These objectives form part of ADIB’s approach to integrating AI across its operations. Abdelbary also emphasized responsible adoption, with human judgment and accountability remaining central to the bank’s use of the technology.

Leading Within an Islamic Banking Structure

ADIB’s Islamic banking identity adds another dimension to these decisions. Its executive committee includes a global head of Sharia and a head of internal Sharia audit, alongside leaders responsible for finance, risk and compliance. The bank also publishes an annual Sharia report.

That structure places specialist oversight within the institution’s management framework. Business expansion and technology development therefore take place within a bank whose governance includes both financial controls and Sharia supervision.

Abdelbary’s career brings experience from international conventional banks into this setting. His leadership at ADIB will help shape the bank’s next phase of growth, through decisions on capital allocation, investment in everyday banking services, and the management of an expanding business.